Requires the department of health to publish a report on the incidence of tick-borne illnesses annually on the department's website; requires the department to submit an annual report to the governor and the leaders of the legislature; requires the superintendent of financial services to review the status of health insurance coverage for the treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne related diseases and to submit a report to the governor and the leaders of the legislature.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1786
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sens. HINCHEY, MAY, ROLISON, WEBB -- read twice and
ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on
Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring annual
reports on tick-borne illnesses; and to require the superintendent of
financial services to review the status of health insurance coverage
for the treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne related
diseases
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 207-b to read as follows:
3 § 207-b. Tick-borne illnesses; reports. 1. The department, in conjunc-
4 tion with the tick-borne disease institute and the department of envi-
5 ronmental conservation, shall publish a report on its website containing
6 information related to the incidence of tick-borne illnesses in the
7 state. Such report shall include, but not be limited to:
8 (a) the number of diagnosed cases of tick-borne illnesses;
9 (b) the incidence of tick-borne illness in each county; and
10 (c) the estimated tick population in the state and whether such popu-
11 lation is expected to increase, decrease, or remain constant at the
12 state and county level.
13 2. On or before April first annually, the department, in conjunction
14 with the tick-borne disease institute and the department of environ-
15 mental conservation, shall submit a report to the governor, the tempo-
16 rary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority
17 leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly. Such
18 report shall summarize the statistics required to be reported pursuant
19 to subdivision one of this section for the previous year and include any
20 other information deemed relevant to tick-borne illnesses for the coming
21 year.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05408-01-5
S. 1786 2
1 § 2. (a) The superintendent of financial services, in consultation
2 with the commissioner of health, shall review the status of health
3 insurance coverage for the treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-
4 borne related diseases, and make recommendations regarding potential
5 changes to insurance coverage requirements and parameters. Such review
6 shall include, but not be limited to:
7 (i) The current range of insurance coverage for the treatment of Lyme
8 and other tick-borne related diseases within New York state;
9 (ii) Reasons for insurer denial of coverage for the treatment of Lyme
10 and other tick-borne related diseases;
11 (iii) Insurance coverage required by other states for the treatment of
12 symptoms related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases and their esti-
13 mated costs and payment models; and
14 (iv) The estimated cost of expanding coverage for the treatment of
15 symptoms related to Lyme disease and other tick-borne related diseases.
16 (b) Within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this act,
17 the superintendent of financial services shall submit a report to the
18 governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of the
19 assembly of the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the depart-
20 ment of financial services.
21 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
